Angels To Pursue Pitching, Hunter

The Angels will make significant changes to their roster following a season that included many positive developments before ending in disappointment, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports. The team enters the offseason with a number of top priorities: re-signing free agents Zack Greinke and Torii Hunter, adding at least one more starting pitcher, improving the bullpen and trading Vernon Wells.

The Angels have “a tremendous interest” in re-signing Hunter, general manager Jerry Dipoto said. The GM confirmed that the Angels would “like to explore” contract talks with the agent for Greinke. Both players have significant leverage after playing well in 2012, but Dipoto pointed out that the Angels have “never been short of resources." Just don’t expect them to use those resources on relief pitchers. Spending lavishly on relievers "is akin to going to Las Vegas and throwing it down on double-zero green," Dipoto said.

Comments

Trading Wells is a monumental task that will have the Angels eating all but the league minimum at best. What they’ll get in return won’t be much either. It amazes me how often teams willingly take on other teams’ problem contracts/players thinking they have the answer(s) to rejuvenating them. Wells should be required to wear a ski mask when cashing his checks.

“Wells should be required to wear a ski mask when cashing his checks.”

There is a LOT of players who fit that bill.. Bay, Soriano, Werth, Zambrano, Lackey, Matsuzaka. the list is long and grows almost 2 fold every year with more 10 year deals given out to players with little chance of living up to the deal half way thru them.

Thought Angels were looking for relievers that could help now. Your post suggests otherwise. I think Shane Watson would be the sticking point. Phils could absorb some Wells salary if Angels can eat some but maybe the Angels can get a better offer on Wells elsewhere. Angels could get a better offer from the Phils or others I imagine if they eat more salary. Just not sure how many teams would do that for Wells. As far as this offer, he’d be a $14.5 million a year player for the Phils for two years. Not ideal but maybe the Angels are not as down on Wells as the posters here seem to be or maybe the salary hit isn’t as troublesome as it would be for most teams..

I don’t necessarily see this as exploding the roster. Wells/both izzy’s/hawkins did next to nothing, counldn’t be trusted and can easily be replaced. Seeing how weak pitching is in the FA market I can see them at least letting santanna/haren walk but making them smaller offers based on past seasons performances. Its not like they are having a fire sale getting rid of all their valuable pieces

Not signing Haren to a deal will be a mistake. Bringing back Haren and Griekne makes the Angels very dangerous. Especially if CJ Wilson return to form post surgery. Also they should figure out who swapped out Mark Trumbos at all-star break and bring back the original one.

I can understand the idea behind paying big money for relievers but the fact of the matter is something has to be done as they were the biggest reason the angels didn’t make the playoffs. 22+ blow leads is not going to cut it, but that in half to be around league average and we have the best record in baseball.

Dodgers don’t need to waste money on Greinke, especially 100m+ on someone with an up and down track record like he has. They would be a lot better off signing Sanchez, even Jackson on a 1-2Y deal, seeing if Seattle will let Vargas go cheap, looking at Santanna and Haren on the cheap.. They don’t need an ace, even a #2, but mid rotation guys and Chavez Ravine is an instant cure for any of those named above ills.

Noooo reason to throw away good money on greinke when they can save serious $$$ on others. I even think Sanchez could put up serious numbers in LA where he had *both* a nice, huge stadium to pitch in and offensive support behind him.

LOL WRONG Sanchez there dude.. Anibal.. Solid for 4 seasons at miami with -0- run support and defense..

Santana? Chavez Ravine “fixes” awful pitchers.. Just ask Derek Low and Ted Lilly and look at Josh Beckett.. It cures “what ails em’ ” and LA only needs a mid rotation guy not someone like Greinke, expecting to be paid like an Ace and only had **1** season like that several years back.

The ones who will be watching the playoffs from the same spot as the Angels, thats right. Pujols, Trout, Weaver (all of which were for a full season less Trout’s 5/6 of a season) and still couldnt beat the moneyballers. And you dont need to make the playoffs to be loaded…They’ll be fine next year with a full offseason to reboot and add depth to the rotation, and hopefully find a hitting coach.

“…trading Vernon Wells…” He says that like it’s possible. Funny.
As to the rest, it only makes sense to let those five go. They are not producing the bulk of what will get the Angels to the postseason in 2013.